AT&T selects Samsung as 5G technology supplier in U.S.

SEOUL -- AT&T, a top telecom company in the United States, has selected Samsung Electronics as one of its technology suppliers in establishing a fifth-generation (5G) mobile network.

In many countries, technology and telecom companies are racing to commercialize the ultra-fast 5G network, which is vital for technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution such as connected cars and smart factories.

"To help us build our mobile, nationwide 5G network, we’ve selected Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung as our technology suppliers," AT&T said in a statement. "We’re at the dawn of something new that will define the next decade and generation of connectivity," an AT&T official was quoted as saying.

"5G will ultimately deliver unprecedented user experiences and business models that require ground-breaking solutions, along with the exploration of new spectrum bands such as millimeter wave," Mark Louison, senior vice president of Samsung's U.S. division, was quoted as saying.

AT&T plans to introduce 5G services in five cities this year and another five other cities in 2018. The company said it would target areas with high population density using a high-band wave spectrum while mid and low-band spectrums will be used in other areas.